City of Missoula

Incident Action Plan: Dispersal and Clean-up of illegal urban camps

I. Situation:
The Missoula Police Department along with numerous other City of Missoula
stakeholders face an ongoing issue with illegal urban camp sites that pose a threat
to public safety and health that require removal and clean up. These camps pose a
public health threat to the people occupying them, as well as other residents of
Missoula.
Goal:
It is the goal of this plan to establish guidelines for the safe and effective removal of
these camps while directing those living there to available services and make sure all
stakeholders are notified and involved prior to moving forward with camp removal.
Objectives:
1. Identify urban camps posing a public safety and health threat that need removal
and clean up.
2. Notify responsible party of the property where the camp is located.
3. Begin outreach to the residents of the camp to advise of time frame for camp
clean-up and offer services that are available.
4. Upon removal of the camp, make sure that the area is sufficiently cleaned and
any public health risk is mitigated.

II. Response:
To discourage encampments from becoming semi-permanent, consistent contact
with the campers up to and after notification of pending camp clean-up is critical.
A. Criteria and procedures for camp removal:
Citizen complaints or employee observations of occupied camps should be followed
by an assessment of the issues posed by the occupied camp: (ex.)
-camp is preventing use of public space
-camp is causing public safety and health concerns
-camp size is growing at a rapid rate
-semi-permanent structures being built
-camp is on/blocking public ROW

The above criteria, or any other reasonably observable issues should then be
documented through reports and/or photographs.

Once an occupied camp has been identified that needs removal, efforts need to be
made to identify the owner/responsible party for the property in which the camp is
located. If the property is a part of the City of Missoula parks and trail system, City
Parks and Recreation employees will work on posting notification of the clean-up.
Code Compliance will handle notifications falling within city limits but outside of the
purview of Parks. When possible, the notifications should be done allowing campers
two or more days to prepare to remove their belongings and find new shelter.
Whoever is providing the notification can contact MPD and request assistance on
notifications if they feel it is unsafe to do so without police presence.

B. Camp is identified as needing removal

1. Coordinated Outreach contacts campers in identified camp

Once the camp is identified, coordinated outreach from the Homeless
Outreach Team and CIT and Reaching Home should begin. These contacts
should be made prior to and through clean-up notification. This type of
outreach has been successful in the past and minimized police presence.
Some camps have been totally vacated prior to the posted clean-up day.
John Petroff (MCT), Theresa Williams (CIT), Emily Armstrong (RHS), HOT
(Poverello Center), Officer Gillhouse (PD), Officer Kamura (PD).
2. Initial email
The agency that does the clean-up notification/posting should send an e-mail
to the working group identifying the location of the camp, date of planned
clean-up, estimated number of people staying there, and any pertinent
information that will assist with planning for the clean-up (amount of
garbage, large items that need removed, campers with volatile behavior,
etc.). The standard goal for timeline will be 72 hours between notification e-
mail and planned clean-up time. Timeline may vary depending on the size of
camp, number of campers, or amount of trash. Clean-up schedule may be
longer than the 72 hours out if the number of campers or camp size and
amount of trash will require further planning or coordination. Generally, the
 underlying land manager is responsible for clean-up coordination and cost.
Please make sure that the PIO group is included in this initial e-mail as they
often get media calls after the signage is posted. TJ Machado (P&R), Lincoln
Lake (P&R), Charmell Owens (CC)
3. Perform outreach
Homeless Outreach Time, Crisis Intervention Team, Missoula Police, and/or
others will respond and attempt outreach within the 72-hour period
between notification and clean-up as outlined above. Police will attempt
move-alongs as needed. John Petroff (MCT), Theresa Williams (CIT), HOT
(Poverello Center), Officer Gillhouse (PD), Officer Kamura (PD).
4. Identify needs
Based on the location of the camp, set-up and size, it may be necessary to
request a large dumpster, street cleaning equipment, additional PPE or any
number of additional requests. Logistics will be coordinated by Charmel
Owens (CC) and Officer Gillhouse (MPD).
5. Clean up
Parks or other designated team arrives at scheduled time to perform
cleanup. If campers are still present, PD assistance/presence will be
requested. If PD is unavailable or the situation becomes dangerous, clean-up
staff will leave and a different time will be scheduled for the cleanup. TJ
Machado (P&R), Lincoln Lake (P&R), Charmell Owens (CC), Captain Jake
Rosling (MPD)
6. Breakdowns in notifications or logistics
In the event that there is a break-down in communication among the
working group or logistical needs are not being met, stakeholders are
encouraged to reach out to Captain Jake Rosling of the MPD. This will allow
for one contact point for everyone, which will hopefully streamline gaps or
lapses in response taken care of as quickly as possible. Captain Jake Rosling
(MPD)
7. Camps not located on city owned land or public right-of-way
The following are procedures for the removal of camps on private land:
a. The landowner must be determined and the camp brought to their
attention.
b. Permission from landowner to go on property and contact camper(s).
Written documentation of the permission should be attained.
c. Once camp is cleared, notice to landowner that camp needs to be
cleaned at their expense. **The City is in the process of partnering with
 trash contractors to support clean-up on public land. Connection to
designated contractors may be offered to landowners.
d. Before and after photographs should be taken of private property.

A. Notification Checklist
1. People that should be notified prior to clean up protocol
Missoula Police Department
a. Captain Jake Rosling 406-552-6317, Roslingj@ci.missoula.mt.us
b. Officer Jay Gillhouse 406-830-5318 Gillhousej@ci.missoula.mt.us
c. PIO Lydia Arnold 406-396-3214 Arnoldl@ci.missoula.mt.us

Missoula Parks and Recreation

a. TJ Machado 406-552-6269 Machadot@ci.missoula.mt.us

b. Lincoln Lake 406-552-6237 Lakel@ci.missoula.mt.us

City of Missoula

a. PIO Ginny Meriam 406-552-6007 Merriamg@ci.missoula.mt.us

Code Compliance

a. Charmell Owens 406-552-6104 Owensc@ci.missoula.mt.us

Reaching Home/Houseless Initiatives

a. Emily Armstrong 406-552-6393 Armstronge@ci.missoula.mt.us

Community Development

Montana James 406-552-6396 Jamesm@ci.missoula.mt.us

Missoula Fire Dept.

a. Brad Davis 406-552-6201 Davisb@ci.missoula.mt.us

b. John Petroff 406-552-6203 Petroffj@ci.missoula.mt.us

CIT

a. Theresa Williams 406-552-6398 Williamst@ci.missoula.mt .us

Poverello

a. Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) 406-493-7955

b. Lisa Sirois, Director of Programs lsiroirs@poverellocenter.org
 c. *Jill Bonny 406-532-6677 jbonny@thepoverellocenter.org
*Note: Jill only needs to be contacted about clean-ups happening directly
around the Poverello Center building.

It is important that communication is maintained among all of the people on

this list. It may be necessary to contact additional people or agencies based
on the needs of the campers encountered or the intricacies of the camp
clean-up. Any additional resource requests or needs can be routed through
Charmell Owens and Officer Gillhouse.

C. Evaluation:

An evaluation of our successes, failures and impacts on the community and

the identified problem areas is crucial. These assessments can be completed
post clean-up and adjustments to the plan can be made at that time.